What I Heard Two Palm Trees Say

How to Hear What Is Not Being Said

Two Palm Trees by Clifford Jones

On a recent cool, 92-degree Summer morning in Scottsdale, Arizona, I was pedaling one of my bicycles near the base of the McDowell Mountains.

Since I found my freedom on a 1973 Blue Stringray Schwinn, riding bicycles has been a spiritual experience. It’s still this way, even though I’m much older now.

I listen to the silence as I pedal and in my zone. 

In silence, we can hear things if we believe so.

My thoughts are mostly good despite the sorrow I often feel while scanning the global news scene. 

I imagine my imagination to be mostly good, and it takes practice daily not to lose my mind over some of the things I see happening around us.

It’s always more peaceful to turn my thoughts to things bigger than me, like our Creator.

Early in my ride, I passed two magnificent palm trees as the sun rose over the McDowells. 

They stood next to each other without arguing over their differences.

Their presence inspired me to stop, capture an image, and think about how humans can be like these two trees.

• They weren’t bitching about how lame the presidential debate was for everyone on the planet.

• They weren’t arguing over religion or how stupid the other trees were, no matter how different.

• They didn’t peep a sound about what they read in the news. Trees don’t let toxic mainstream news pollute them.

Nope. These two beautiful palm trees stood in seeming silence and unison. 

I imagined if these two trees could talk, here’s what they would have said:

• Thank God we share the sun today. Without it, we would not have food.

• Thank God for the water we share today. Without it, we would die of thirst.

• Thank God for the dirt and rock we share today. Without them, our roots could not help us grow to stand so tall.

• Thank God for each other. We stand here, embracing the goodness of our one Creator, and he gives us strength, food, and nourishment so we can thrive no matter how cold, dark, or terrifying the storm.

• Thank you, God, for helping us stay healthy and protect us from all the extremists, both left and right, doing their best to tear the rest of us apart.

• Thank you, God, for everything, especially inner peace, by trusting you.

I was feeling deeply emotional. I was sad yet glad that I saw the two trees and heard what they didn’t say. 

Trees stand together no matter their differences. 

We can learn a lot from trees, putting aside all the cool stuff we can build when they fall.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it for today.

Peace.